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Topic: Which game camera to buy? (Read 2354 times)

Well, I started to put this in the pest forum but decided to just put it here in General Beekeeping...

I'm wanting to get a game camera to use in the beeyard and elsewhere for security purposes. Currently I'm looking at the Moultrie M80-BLX and the M80-XT but I'm definitely not locked in on one of them, nor locked in on the Moutrie brand for that matter. I do like the rapid-fire 3-shot feature of the M80-BLX, though. Anybody got any suggestions? I'm wanting it for the two-legged varmits.

Thanks,Ed

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www.beeweather.comAmerican blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world. 320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror". Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA. But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

Lol. Ive got several pictures of the classic deer in the headlights look. Deer all sprawled out where they were spooked by the flash. IR would definitely be better. I had one pic of a really nice buck that got flashed and never came back. Spooked him off. Younger, adolescent bucks and does, it didnt seem to bother. I also went through several of the cheaper flash cameras. The flash really captured the attention of the bear and the in turn they knocked the stew out of the cameras. For what I paid for those a few years ago, you can buy an IR model now.

Yeah, I'm not *too* worried about the beeyard here at the house, but you never know. I want to put a couple of hives at an out yard next year and see what they can put up out of the swamp, that's where the camera would be used mostly in regards to the bee-security...they'll be about 1/4 mile from a fair sized river bottom so I'm hoping for a variety of nectar sources. But, I know people come onto the property occasionally and I have "missed" some things around a cabin that I've been working on for years.

I'll probably use the camera mostly for now at the back of my house and down the hill at the bee yard....seems a generator and compressor walked out of my garage a couple of months ago...must of eloped together. :evil:

The Moultrie cameras are a bit less expensive than the Cuddebacs and seem to have decent reviews. The M80 series had some issues as recent as the 2011 models but I'm seeing that the 2012 models have addressed most issues and have actually had some decent features added. I've posted a message on a game camera forum (yelp, I guess they have forums for everything) and will see what those folks say, too.

Allen, I'm definitely looking at IR models. I don't won't a flash alerting scumbags...it'll be a chore just trying to conceal the camera much less having a flashing strobe going off. ;)

Ed

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www.beeweather.comAmerican blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world. 320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror". Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA. But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

I've heard good things about the new cuddeback IR.Save the old ones broken or not they make good decoys.Place the active cameras high in trees pointing down.

Hmm, I may just look around at junk/pawn shops for some "old" cameras for decoys. Might be able to find some hunters around here with some dead ones. Good idea.

I understand that getting them high will help keep them out of harms way but I do want them low enough for facial shots and maybe even tag numbers. I'm looking for two-legged varmits. ;)

After thinking about things, I probably need more than a single camera...one will get me started, though!

Ed

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www.beeweather.comAmerican blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world. 320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror". Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA. But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

Just a guess but I would think the trash that would steal stuff will look for a camera.After they smash or steal the decoy they probably won't look for another one.If you mount them 10-15 feet up a tree on a piece of plywood with a shim to angle it correctly you will get a wide shot including faces.

If you need to get really fancy they have cameras that download photos as they are taken. You need cell service for those.

The "black flash" was strongly recommended for security uses. The seller, Woodburyoutfitters, was spoken well of on the game camera forum, had a 99.8% feedback rating, and with shipping still beat the nearest price by $20+. I also ordered a security plate from a guy on the game camera forum...it's 12 gauge cnc cut powder coated steel that fits around the front of the camera and a Python cable secures it and the camera to a tree, wall stud, etc.,. I'll be swapping it between bee yard and house. I might go back and buy a standard IR camera (non black flash) for the bee yard since there's no where to high it there anyhow.

Anyhow, just thought I'd update you on the camera.

Ed

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www.beeweather.comAmerican blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world. 320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror". Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA. But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

i bought the moultri 80 series the first one i had i experienced a lot of problems. But i spoke with moultrie and they always sent me a new camera. Well i guess they finally fixed it and i have had no more issues. I think they are great cameras.

and also i was having my pens disappear from my desk, well we now have a new janitorial service...

i bought the moultri 80 series the first one i had i experienced a lot of problems. But i spoke with moultrie and they always sent me a new camera. Well i guess they finally fixed it and i have had no more issues. I think they are great cameras.

and also i was having my pens disappear from my desk, well we now have a new janitorial service...

Keith

I'm glad to hear that Moultrie is responsive to their customers. I'm looking forward to tinkering with it. Hopefully mine want ever be needed for what I'm buying it for.

I'm curious...your pens...did you get video or still shots. ;)

Ed

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www.beeweather.comAmerican blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world. 320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror". Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA. But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

Yelp, same here...they come in a plastic packs or cardboard boxes...reds, blues, and blacks...seldom buy the blues, though. But, a crook's a crook, whatever the case.

Ed

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www.beeweather.comAmerican blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world. 320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror". Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA. But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

From my experience with game cameras you made a very good choice going with a Moultrie. I have a few of the IR versions. I tried the Cuddeback and had nothing but trouble with them. They are not waterproof and the company had no answer for me. Kept bringing them back. Tried another brand that wasn't much better and finally came across the Moultrie. Been happy with mine since.

From my experience with game cameras you made a very good choice going with a Moultrie. <snip...>

...JP

Thanks for sharing your experience, JP. One of my cousins that hunts a good bit harped on me getting a Cuddeback but I looked at the prices *and* the feedback...not the greatest feedback. The Moultrie's had better feedback and definitely a better price.

The camera came in Thursday but I haven't had a chance to check it out...just got back from the Friday meetings at the Alabama Beekeepers Association in Montgomery (about 60 miles from here)...getting up and heading back early in the morning. It was a good turn out today and probably will be better tomorrow... g'nite

Ed

Logged

www.beeweather.comAmerican blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world. 320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror". Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA. But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev